1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to a portable external defibrillator and, more particularly, to a portable external defibrillator having redundant components to enable continued operation of defibrillator.
2. Related Art
Sudden cardiac arrest is a disruption of the heart's functioning that causes a lack of blood flow to vital organs. In a majority of instances, sudden cardiac arrest is manifested as an abnormal or chaotic heart rhythm, called fibrillation. These instances are generally identifiable by the victim's immediate loss of pulse, loss of consciousness and a cessation of breathing.
Sudden cardiac arrest has been attributed to over 350,000 deaths each year in the United States, making it one of the country's leading medical emergencies. World-wide, sudden cardiac arrest has been attributed to a much larger number of deaths each year. Unless medical intervention is initiated, sudden cardiac arrest will lead to death within a matter of minutes. With rapid intervention, the survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest can be as high as 40%.
There are four critical components of medical treatment that must be administered to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest: (1) early access to emergency care; (2) early cardiopulmonary resuscitation to keep the blood oxygenated and flowing to the victim's brain and other vital organs; (3) early defibrillation (the application of an electrical shock to the heart) to restore the heart's regular rhythm; and (4) early access to advanced medical care. When a person is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, the electrical activity within the heart becomes chaotic. An electric shock from a defibrillator can reorganize the electrical impulses to allow coordinated pumping action to resume. To administer this shock, special pads from a machine called a defibrillator are placed on the victim's chest, and an electric shock is sent through the victim's body from one pad to another. As used herein, the term "pads" will include both pads and paddles.
If prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation is followed by defibrillation within about four minutes, the victim's chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest can approach or exceed 40%. Prompt administration of defibrillation within the first critical minutes is considered one of the most important components of emergency medical treatment for preventing death from sudden cardiac arrest.
Since prompt defibrillation is critical to survival, portable defibrillators have been developed that can be carried to the victim's location to defibrillate the victim prior to reaching a hospital. These portable defibrillators, like other sensitive electronic equipment, occasionally can malfunction or otherwise be unable to operate properly. While malfunctioning of typical electronic equipment is inconvenient, a malfunctioning defibrillator can be fatal to the patient in sudden cardiac arrest. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a defibrillator that could minimize the effects of any malfunction.